A cabin cruiser is a type of

power boat A motorboat, speedboat or powerboat is a boat that is exclusively powered by an engine. Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines, others have an outboard motor installed on the rear, containing the internal combustion engine, the ge ...

that provides accommodation for its crew and

passenger A passenger (also abbreviated as pax) is a person who travels in a vehicle, but does not bear any responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination or otherwise operate the vehicle, and is not a steward. Th ...

s inside the structure of the craft. A cabin cruiser usually ranges in size from in length, with larger pleasure craft usually considered

yacht A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...

s. Many cabin cruisers can be recovered and towed with a trailer and thus easily stored on land, which reduces maintenance and expense. These craft are generally equipped with a

head A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple animals ...

(toilet), a

galley A galley is a type of ship that is propelled mainly by oars. The galley is characterized by its long, slender hull, shallow draft, and low freeboard (clearance between sea and gunwale). Virtually all types of galleys had sails that could be u ...

, and at least one berth. Most cabin cruisers usually have a small dining area and some have an aft cabin (a cabin to the rear of the cockpit, with a double bed). Some cabin cruisers are equipped with heating,

air conditioning Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C or AC, is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior environment (sometimes referred to as 'comfort cooling') and in some cases also strictly controlling ...

, and power generators. Most also have water heaters and shore power electric systems. The cabin cruiser provides many of the amenities of larger yachts, while costing much less and normally being fully operable by the owner, whereas larger yachts often require a professional crew. Most newer cabin cruisers are faster than older models because of improved

aerodynamic Aerodynamics, from grc, ἀήρ ''aero'' (air) + grc, δυναμική (dynamics), is the study of the motion of air, particularly when affected by a solid object, such as an airplane wing. It involves topics covered in the field of fluid dyn ...

and

hydrodynamic In physics and engineering, fluid dynamics is a subdiscipline of fluid mechanics that describes the flow of fluids— liquids and gases. It has several subdisciplines, including ''aerodynamics'' (the study of air and other gases in motion) ...

designs. Cabin cruisers are generally able to handle the water well because of their size and give a stable ride. They are generally spacious in the cockpit (open seating area towards aft or centre). In the UK, purpose-built cabin cruisers were popular on the canal network in the 1960s and 1970s. Leading manufacturers were Norman, Viking, Microplus, Freeman, and Dawncraft. Today, they are more commonly found on the navigable rivers rather than canals.

References

{{Reflist Motorboats

See also

References